I don’t usually do this, but the nice people over at Beauty Counter sent me some samples of gluten free products they offer. Looking over the website, I see they are very concerned about the amount of beauty products that contain toxic chemicals and have vowed to make a product that is natural and free of these toxins. That’s something I can get down with!
This company is very transparent about what they put in their products. They tell you all the ingredients right on the website. A glossary of ingredients can be found here. http://www.beautycounter.com/ingredient-glossary/
Upon receiving my samples, I noticed that there was little or no fragrance from each of the products. Fragrances are often extracted with harmful chemicals, which although the fragrance may not be harmful, the process in which it is extracted and preserved is. I have very sensitive skin, so I was glad to smell no strong odors emitted from the products.
My next step was to do an arm test. I lightly dabbed a tiny bit of each on my arm to test for any skin reactions. This is usually a good thing to do with any new products. The last thing you want is to put something on your face and swell up like a big red balloon. So I waited and watched. There was no real irritation, so that night I decided to try the body lotion, the charcoal bar, and the night cream.
I really liked how the charcoal bar tightened my pores. I really felt like it drew out the oils and closed up the pores leaving a nice smooth texture, without drying out my skin. Afterwords, I went back on the website to find out the ingredients, and found there was a new option, a charcoal mask. If it works half as good as the bar, it will be amazing.
The hydrate body lotion was light and smooth. It was barely creamy. It did an alright job at moisturizing, but I still think my Vaseline hydrates much better. Although, it probably has some of those chemicals Beauty Counter is trying to avoid in it. I didn’t find it amazing, but there wasn’t anything wrong with it either.
The next morning I tried the firming lotion. I thought it actually firmed around my eyes. I was surprised because when I think of natural, I think not as good as harsh chemicals. Not sure if it will continue to work over time, but I'd give it a shot. I have noticed that firming & wrinkle creams tend to lose their effectiveness the longer you use them & you need to switch them around to keep the results lasting.
Last, I tried the the nourishing cleansing balm. I found it heavy and almost waxy. After using it I felt the need to wash my face again with my regular soap. I really didn't like the way it felt on my face.
I really think this company has something unique and all natural. It was well worth trying. If you get a chance, look it up. You can search for gluten free and a list of gluten free products will come up to pick from. And for the record, the charcoal bar was my favorite.
